It is not an unfamiliar feeling. An encouraging, enjoyable tournament for England ended in deflating disappointment, made all the worse by the team's under-performance on the big night. Even the identity of the Australian who twisted the knife was predictable – Darren Lockyer who, before ending his great career with a fairytale try and a comical missed goal‑kick, had set up the crucial score for Jharal Yow Yeh with one last example of the composure and vision that has denied Great Britain, New South Wales and various club sides on so many occasions over the past 16 years.

The talk afterwards, from England's coach, Steve McNamara, the captain, Jamie Peacock, and various players, was of progress. "We fell a little bit short, but in terms of the whole tournament it's definitely been a success," said McNamara.

Certainly the much brighter performance in a previous defeat by Australia at Wembley vindicated the decision to take the national team back to the capital, and reaching the final represented tangible progress on the 2010 Four Nations results. A decent three-quarter line is taking shape, in front of Sam Tomkins at full-back – although his lack of impact was one of the biggest disappointments of Saturday.

Perhaps most importantly, the players feel suitably valued and respected as internationals, as a result of the substantial investment made in the national team by the Rugby Football League since the debacle of the 2008 World Cup, which is crucial in the constant battle to prevent more talent from being lured to the other code.

Having said all that, this final defeat was more comprehensive, and held less encouragement, than the superficially heavier 46-16 belting administered by the Kangaroos in the last Four Nations in this country two years ago. At least then England showed the ability to penetrate Australia's defence, scoring three tries to earn a 16-14 lead early in the second half before they were blown away by four tries in the last 13 minutes.

This time all they could manage was a penalty try awarded to Ryan Hall late in a first half which Australia had dominated, and in which the game could easily have been settled in the manner of their 44-4 victory over Great Britain in the 2004 Tri‑Nations final if fortune, and the video referee, had not smiled on England.

The personnel changes from that 2009 team are instructive. England sorely missed Sam Burgess, the explosive forward then of Bradford and now recovering from injury at South Sydney, who scored two of their tries – although before pinning too much on his absence it is worth remembering that Australia, having suffered the usual quota of withdrawals before the tournament, then lost their brilliant full‑back Billy Slater with a shoulder injury at Wembley.

More relevantly, England's half-backs that night were Tomkins and Kyle Eastmond, an exciting talent who is now beginning his rugby union education with Bath. Tony Smith, McNamara's predecessor as England coach, had fast‑tracked them into his team with an eye to the future. This year, with Tomkins established at full‑back and precious few homegrown half-back alternatives excelling in the Super League, McNamara has built his team around Kevin Sinfield and Rangi Chase.

Sinfield tried manfully in the stand‑off position from which he led Leeds to an unlikely Super League title this season, but he inevitably remains short, like other converted loose forwards before him such as Andy Farrell and Phil Clarke, of the instinctive handling brilliance with which Lockyer and his half-back partner Johnathan Thurston seize every chance.

Chase, having coped impressively with the challenge of facing his native New Zealand last weekend, simply looked out of his depth against Australia. It is safe to assume Australia's coach, Tim Sheens, who rarely selected Chase for Wests Tigers before he came to Castleford three years ago, did not lose much sleep about England's controversial recruit in the build-up to the match.

In the two years before they host the World Cup, England need the St Helens pair of Lee Gaskell and Jonny Lomax to continue the rapid progress they made in their first full season together, although in the Melbourne Storm stand-off Gareth Widdop there was one attractive alternative available to McNamara who would surely have offered more than Chase on Saturday night.

It would be remiss not to end with an appreciation of Lockyer's last stand, a fitting farewell for a genuine champion, who has adorned Australia's iconic green and gold and will be remembered, according to sages of the game, alongside true greats such as Clive Churchill, Johnny Raper and Reg Gasnier.

He had been given a standing ovation by the sporting Yorkshire crowd when he scored that last, scrappy try from his own deflected left-foot grubber. Many of them stayed behind, with the Australians who had come to Leeds to cheer him out, to listen to his final address before he lifted the Four Nations trophy.

From the press box, it was pretty much impossible to hear a voice that could not be less suited to public speaking, the legacy of a blow to his windpipe early in his career. But as hush descended on the ground, you could just make out Lockyer's last words in green and gold. "To the people of England, thank you for everything. On a personal note I've always loved playing here. Thank you and goodbye."

He has always been a gentleman off the field, and a pleasure to watch. But from the parochial point of view of British rugby league and its desperate need to step out of an Australian shadow that stretches back 39 years, it's nothing personal, Darren – but good riddance.